Fort Collins haul-out guide
Garage cleanouts in Fort Collins, shelf by shelf
A garage holds the hardest mix in the house: old paint, a mower with gas still in it, bald tires, rusty tools and boxes nobody has opened since the last move. Split it into four piles before anyone shows up.
Pile one: chemicals
Paint, solvents, pesticides, cleaners, aerosols and batteries go to Larimer County’s household hazardous waste drop-off, which is free for county residents and closed to the public on Wednesdays. A hauler may not carry these, so plan that trip yourself. Products in good condition go back out free through the county’s Drop N’ Swap.
Pile two: metal and motors
Timberline’s scrap metal bins take wire, extension cords, holiday lights, items that are at least half metal, and lawn mowers or snowblowers once the fluids are drained. Propane tanks and anything with a circuit board go elsewhere. Motor oil and antifreeze are accepted from residents, up to five gallons a visit.
Pile three: tires and bikes
Tires cannot go in the trash in Colorado. The county’s fee schedule charges $7.50 for a car or light-truck tire plus $6 for a rim, and notes that state law caps a trip at nine tires. A bicycle is $5 at the county gate, though electric and pedal-assist bikes are not accepted there.
Pile four: everything else
What remains is ordinary junk that a hauler prices by volume. Stack it near the door, keep a clear path to the driveway, and park the car on the street for the day so the garage floor is open for loading.
Before you decide
Questions worth asking
Will a junk hauler take old paint?
Ask first; many do not. Larimer County accepts household hazardous waste such as paint and solvents free from county residents, at a drop-off closed to the public on Wednesdays.
How many tires can I bring to the county at once?
The county’s fee schedule notes that state law allows a maximum of nine tires per trip.